August 18, 2009

 

Philippines to halt vaccinations of hogs for export 

 

 

The Philippines will stop administering foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccinations for hogs particularly in Luzon as there has been no outbreak of the disease for the last three years.

 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) issued an administrative order to turn over all vaccines to the government and prohibited the importation of FMD vaccines.

 

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said importation of FMD vaccines will be allowed through government intervention and under emergency situation or where there is an outbreak.

 

He also ordered the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) to dispose of the remaining vaccines in the market and to "give due consideration to possible rebates on taxes for the concerned products."

 

Aside from the withdrawal of FMD vaccines, the DA also ordered that movement of unvaccinated FMD-susceptible animals going to the locally declared free zones without vaccination or those outside of Luzon is only allowed for small and large ruminants and breeder pigs.

 

The DA will observe the existing shipping- protocol system for animal-movement control such as the issuance of veterinary-health certificates, permit system for shipment of animals, animal products and by-products; and farm-inspection and accreditation system.

 

Albert Lim, president of the National Federation of Hog Farmers, Inc. (NFHFI), said Luzon-hog raisers are already keen on securing the FMD-free without- vaccination certification from the Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE) as a way of making the sector more competitive.

 

He said the Philippines will again try for a certification from the OIE, but this time, for FMD-free without-vaccination status.

 

Manila is keen on securing the FMD-free without- vaccination status to finally enable local hog raisers to ship their products to foreign markets.

 

Currently, the OIE has already recognized Mindanao, Visayas, Palawan, and Masbate as FMD-free zones where vaccination is not practiced.

 

The 1995 FMD outbreak has caused an estimated P2 billion (US$41.26 million) in direct losses to the hog sector, said the DA.

 

The DA said FMD is a trans-boundary animal disease that hampers trade of susceptible animals and their products and by-products.

 

US$1 = PHP48.47 (August 18)